Power Keepers 2 : Guardians of Earth
by NightFury001
Summary: With the Power War ending, the world can finally rest. In a final attempt to defeat Garrett, Shadow took his own life in order to do so. The Power Keepers continue to fight the Dark Ones in hope that one day they can finally beat them. So far every attempt to bring the fallen back to life has resulted in failure but the Power Keepers are determined to keep trying until they succeed


Prologue

As the final days of the Power War came to an end, the world knew peace. But nothing lasts forever, soon the Dark Ones would rise up and strike again, thus creating another war between them and the Power Keepers. Only this time, the world would be involved as well. Recently spies from the Power Keepers have noticed Dark Ones around the world gathering up mortal allies, hoping to force them into a war of their own. My days as elite commander of the Power Keepers ended weeks ago as I made one final effort to defeat Garrett. The last battle on Outsider territory took the lives of not only me but my closest friends, Astrid, Reece, and Juan. The four of us sacrificed our lives hoping that it would put an end to Garrett's rule. Fortunately, for the world, it did and we were able to rest in peace.

When the weeks turned into months, the Dark Ones rose up again and continued their reign of terror without their leader. The Power Keepers kept them in check while trying to find a way to bring us back. After months of trial and error they started to lose hope but a group of high ranking scientists wouldn't accept our death. They worked day and night trying to find some way to bring us back, only they had the same luck as the rest of the team. In our absence, a new leader rose up taking my place as leader of the Power Keepers. He vowed to stay in command until he found a way to bring all of the top 4 back from the dead.

However, in my mind we were already lost. Our spirits lingered among those of my fallen comrades that have been lost over the years. The only one missing was Wolffe's spirit. I hadn't expected to see him the first few days or so but this entire time he has been missing. It wasn't my business to track him anymore, only to watch over those still fighting for me and do my best to guide them. That, and only that, was my only job. The only one I had left. Deep in my heart I had hoped that my men came up with something to bring my friends back. I was already too far gone, using up more energy than I had to wipe Garrett out in one final blow. That day back at the temple seemed to me as if it were yesterday. One moment I had everything, friends, a team, strength to fight for what was right. The next I gave it all up to end the madness that found a way to carry on. At least I got rid of the source..

Days progressed and I watched over my old base, keeping an eye on everything that went on. Everything continued normally as I would expect it to. The new leader seemed more or less of a good one. His heart was in the right place and he had the ability to do great. The only thing that held him back was nervousness and lack of self-esteem. He doubted himself and his abilities as a Power Keeper. I can't say much about that because I made the same mistake right before I defeated Garrett. To be the son of the legendary Shadow should have appeared as a good thing to me. Being named after her was even better and I realize that now. I only wish that I had figured that out sooner, before Wolffe disappeared from my life completely. Only he knew the next time we would see each other.

Days at the base grew long and hard for the new leader. His days were filled with a lot of stress but I knew he could take it, if he was ready or not. My mind wandered off to Garrett and where he was in this afterlife. I couldn't sense his presence at all. Usually that would be a good thing but this time it wasn't. Even though Wolffe wasn't here I still sensed his spirit, but not Garrett's. Something was up and I had a bad feeling that it involved the new leader. No matter how good he is, I know that he isn't ready for some big war yet. There must be something I can do but there's no way for me to escape this never-ending spirit world that I found myself a part of. Whatever was coming, he would have to do it on his own.

The base ran normally as I would expect it to. The scientists worked even harder than the past few days. They were coming close to something, I could feel it. One day I felt one of the spirits disappear from my radar completely. Whoever it was couldn't be found anywhere. That's when I noticed something unusual at my base. There was a new person in the science room, a body that looked familiar lying on a table... Juan. It was Juan's body lying on the table but instead of being a lifeless dead body, it moved. Juan was moving. I grinned in my spirit form and started talking to myself.

"They did it. They actually did it. I never thought it was possible but I guess it is. My men have found a way to bring people back from the dead." I said. "I only hope that they can bring back all three of my friends instead of just Juan."

The next few days at the base were spent making copies of the formula the scientists used in order to bring the dead back to life. Within a weeks time they brought Reece and Astrid back as well. On the table were their bodies, full of life. However there was one more next to theirs that wasn't moving. As I got a better view of it I saw that they had my body on the table. The scientists tried and tried to bring me back but I already knew that I was too far gone to save. None the less, even after the others gave up, my head scientist wouldn't give in. Thanks to him my friends are back and I am grateful but he needs to realize that I am beyond repair. Doubt filled his head but he chose to ignore it.

Days passed with hundreds of trials and hundreds more errors. His loyalty to me was astounding but he had to realize that it was over. The next day he left the science room and flew off in a shuttle. At first I thought he was taking time off after figuring out that I couldn't be brought back. When he landed in the Valley of Shadows I started getting curious again. He started to pick out rare specimen and put them in bags. His actions were quick but cautious, trying not to damage the plants. When he was satisfied with the amount he had collected, he went back into the shuttle and took off. I still had no idea what he was doing until he arrived back at the base.

There was about a dozen vials and flasks out on the table in the science room and I noticed that my body was still there. The head scientist set out the plants next to some other rare liquids and began to mix them. His idea was to strengthen the power of the reviving potion and hopefully get it strong enough to bring me back. If there was a way to tell him that it would fail, I would have done it but unfortunately I am unable to communicate with the living in my current form. So he went on with his work until he finished the formula. The hours he put into this experiment turned into days and at the end of the week, he finished. Hope filled his eyes as he poured some of the potion down my mouth.

He waited for a few minutes before his eyes filled with disappointment and sadness. The man fell on his knees and whispered to himself.

"I'm sorry I couldn't bring you back commander. I tried my best but obviously that wasn't enough. The formula was perfect, it should have worked, but it didn't." He said.

I listened to him talk on for minutes until the leader came in.

"Oh, good morning commander Jacob." He said. "I was just-"

"I know Sean. You tried your best but you really have to stop it. I need you for other things. We just have to face the fact that Shadow is gone."

"Yes sir." He replied in a solemn tone.

Then the commander went out and Sean packed up the supplies.

Although the head scientist was gone, Astrid spent the next few days by my side. Most of the time she just sat there staring at me- or at my body. I saw the sadness in her eyes build up and form tears which dripped down her cheeks. I never expected it to end like this, taking my own life to destroy Garrett. But in the end I knew what I had to do. There was no other choice.

Reece interrupted my train of thought when he came into the room.

"Astrid, we need you at watchtower five. When you're ready." He said.

Reece realized that she was on the brink of crying and immediately went to comfort her. They both reminisced about our past missions together.

"How could this happen Reece? It never ends like this. Jeff always comes back from a battle. He's never given up and he has never lost like this before." Astrid commented.

"It's just different this time. I miss him too but we can't focus on the past, we need to put this behind us and move on. Our scientists have already tried everything they know and it still hasn't worked." He stated.

"Do you think we could fix this? Just you and me. We'd only work on this for a day or so and maybe we could bring him back. There might be something Sean missed."

"Perhaps but there's work that we need to do."

"Like I said, it would only be for a day or so."

Reece thought long and hard about her suggestion and then finally came up with an answer.

"Fine, I'll do it. But on one condition." Reece agreed.

"What?"

"That we stop working on this as soon as the sun has set. We'll start working tomorrow early in the morning and work until sundown. From there we put everything behind us and move on, okay?"

Astrid hesitated to answer but forced herself to.

"Okay. Thank you Reece."

She smiled and left the room to get some rest. Tomorrow they had a big day ahead of them.

The next day Astrid and Reece were up at 0500 working on the formula, gathering supplies and mixing items. They didn't stop, not even for a lunch break. Now this was unusual, not even Reece missed lunch unless he was doing something really important like working on a mission or something. I guess he was just trying to make Astrid happy. By the end of the day they had completed a new liquid mixture. The sun had just set and they finished cleaning up minutes later. At around 1830 everything was cleaned up and the new formula was in a vial right next to my body. The two of them came back in from washing up and prepared to use the potion on me.

I appreciate their efforts but still knew that it wouldn't work. Astrid came up to my body and opened the vile with the potion in it. It was a dark blue color and looked rather thick. If I was alive there was no way I'd be drinking that stuff. After a few moments of hesitation, Astrid poured the potion down my throat and awaited its effect. My senses went dark for a second, almost like I could taste that nasty liquid. I told myself that it was my imagination getting the better of me. She stood there next to Reece for a good 10 minutes before finally giving up. Astrid put the vile in a tray on the main shelf and they walked out of the room.

All of a sudden there was a loud thump back in the room and they both came back to see what it was. When they got in, on the floor was my body completely motionless.

That's when I felt a tingle in my arm. Then in my leg. And finally up to my chest. My head started to hurt and my vision of the base got blurry. I could no longer overlook the entire base but only that one room. Astrid and Reece were busy staring at me with their mouths wide open.

For the first time in a long time, my vision became clear. I could see, I mean actually see. Astrid and Reece were standing in awe right in front of me in the science room. They looked like they had just seen a ghost.

Then I stood up and examined the room, letting my cape fall all the way down. A smirk appeared on my face as I thought to myself, "Amazing. They actually found a way to bring me back from the dead."

With one final glance at the room I stared into their eyes and said, "It's good to be back."


End file.
